Campaign for grammar school places for children from Reading area

A group of campaigning parents is trying to persuade Reading’s two grammar schools to change their selection process to include more local children.

The group called TRAK - Transform Reading and Kendrick - has set up a petition calling on Reading School and Kendrick School to restrict their catchment areas and allocate 50 per cent of the school places to those who live nearest the schools

TRAK’s petition says: “Such changes would remove the current prejudice against less well-off families, reduce the overall environmental impact of unnecessary travel and return the two schools to ’the heart of the community’ as mandated by their funding agreements.”

The campaign has stepped up because the schools are currently conducting a consultation on admissions which runs to the end of this month.

James Coombs of TRAK said: “The schools are legally obliged to consult on admissions although they prefer to maintain the status quo so keep it rather quiet. We have set up a website putting forward our ideas and inviting comments from everyone - http://trak.org.uk - regardless of their perspective.

“We’ve invited the schools to provide an article supporting their claim that the current vast catchment promotes social mobility.”

Mr Coombs believes the large catchment - or designated - area simply allows the schools to select those children who will “give them the best GCSE results” and he says the easiest way to do that is to be “very selective with your intake”.

He told getreading the schools have refused to provide information about the home locations of those pupils who get the pupils premium - or free school meals - to back the claim the schools do promote social mobility.

“I really can’t envisage many families from Slough or Newbury who, whilst they can’t afford to feed their children, can afford the £900 each year on the season ticket to get them to one of Reading’s grammar schools, “ he said.

Mr Coombs has sent an open letter to the chairs of governors at the schools asking for a justification of the failure to provide the information which he said would allow “informed public debate”.

TRAK is calling for the catchment to be limited to post codes RG1, RG2, RG4, RG5, RG6, RG7, RG8, RG9, RG10, RG30, RG31, RG40 and RG41 which include Reading and parts of Wokingham borough.

Most of these postal districts are within walking or cycling distance.

The two school head teachers - Christine Kattirtzi of Kendrick and Ashley Robson of Reading School - have issued a joint response to TRAK’s criticisms.

Reading School head teacher Ashley Robson

They point out that the consultation is on the schools’ websites and Reading Borough Council is also consulting on the admission arrangements with three neighbouring local authorities, the diocesan authorities and all the academies, voluntary aided or foundation secondary and primary schools in the area.

Kendrick School head teacher Christine Kattirtzi

They say: “The current consultation is based on proposed changes to the over-subscription criteria, with specific reference to those children subject to a placement order (Reading School) and free school meals (Kendrick School).

“Although the individual governing bodies will review the designated area in light of any comments made, to make any changes to the designated area a full consultation would be required to change any criteria in the future. Consultation to change the 2017 arrangements will take place between October 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016.”

Members of the public are welcome to give their views on the proposed policies during the current consultation and the comments should be received no later than February 28. The final policies will be published by April 15.

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